This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. Primary support for the subproject and the subproject's principal investigator may have been provided by other sources, including other NIH sources. The Total Cost listed for the subproject likely represents the estimated amount of Center infrastructure utilized by the subproject, not direct funding provided by the NCRR grant to the subproject or subproject staff. The Major Instrumentation Core will be established as one of the three core laboratories for the RCMI program. It will provide technical services and consumable supplies necessary for the operation and maintenance of a variety of major instruments that support biomedical research at Xavier University. In addition to designating/centralizing several existing analytical instruments for use and service by the Core, funds are requested to purchase two new instruments: an HPLC-MS/MS and a 300 MHz NMR system over the project period. The long term goal of the Major Instrumentation Core is to enhance the overall biomedical research capabilities at Xavier University by making available essential instrument-based platforms for various research projects. To achieve this goal the Major Instrumentation Core has set the following specific aims: 1. support biomedical research projects on campus by providing essential analytical instrumentation, 2. maintain and operate existing instruments, 3. acquire new instruments, and 4. provide technical support for user community of the core. The Major Instrumentation Core will be managed by a faculty manager, Jian Zhang P.h.D., and an assistant faculty manager, Qiang Zhang, and will staff a full time analytical chemist with extensive experiences in operating and maintaining major analytical instruments. Operation of the Core will follow guidelines specified in the Standard Operation Procedures (SOP) that will be revised as the Core expands and evolves.